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Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Hawks Add One Half of One of the Top Two Sets of Twin Centers From Stanford

Jason Collins can't score*, never could. He never rebounded well for a center. For all intents and purposes, he doesn't rebound** at all anymore. But he was a great defensive center and a significant factor in New Jersey's success during the first half of this decade. He may still be an above average defensive center. Unfortunately, his weaknesses have likely become so apparent as to negate any defensive value he may retain and his limited minutes in Minnesota last season throw into doubt that retains his one, true skill.

In a best case scenario, the Hawks cut Randolph Morris, use his roster spot on someone useful, and Collins proves to be what Mike Woodson thinks Mario West is: a good enough defender to make it worth playing 4-on-5 on offense for short stretches. In a worst case scenario, Collins plays minutes that could have gone to any of Pachulia, Horford, Smith, or Smith, in doing so demonstrates that he can't even make a defensive difference anymore, and I look back on this day as the one I began to worry that a lack of "strong character and leadership qualities" (to quote Rick Sund) was legitimately a greater concern than a lack of rebounding.

*Over the last four years, he's averaged less than 5 points per 36 minutes played while shooting below 40% from the floor and below 50% from the free throw line.

**His career rebounding rate is slightly higher than Marvin Williams' career rate. Over the last three years, he's been a significantly worse rebounder than Williams.

Collins was the starting center and averaged over 2000 minutes a year from '03 through '06. That's not a bit player.

Those New Jersey teams finished 1st, 4th, 6th, and 3rd in the league in defensive efficiency and 18th, 25th, 26th, and 25th in offensive efficiency. If you don't care for "significant" would you agree that his skill set was at least "emblematic" of those Nets teams?